Training for Aerial Rescues

How preparing for the unexpected can save lives during stressful events

Rescuing a colleague suspended in a tree isn’t routine. Knowing how to handle these situations and what to do when an aerial rescue is necessary can often be the difference between life and death.

When someone is in a situation where an aerial rescue is needed, it can be easy to make hasty decisions — especially when that person is a friend. In one of the most dangerous fields of work, aerial rescues are near the top of the list of the biggest challenges a tree care worker can face.

The tree care industry experiences more than double the incidents of accidents among all other occupations. Tree care work tabs an annual rate of 238.7 injuries per 10,000 workers, while all other occupations experience just 89.4 incidents per 10,000 full-time workers, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s Small Business Advocacy Review Panel.

From the process to the equipment, here’s what safety experts and tree care business owners say is critical to know before, during, and after an aerial rescue operation.

Proper Procedures

Before rushing to save someone, securing the scene is the most important thing to do first, says Jonathan Sullivan, owner of Century Tree Care, LLC, and a contract trainer with Noble Oak Safety and Training.

Any response will depend on crew size, according to Sullivan, but it’s always ideal to have a person on the ground responsible for assessing the steps that need to be taken.

“The number one rule we have is, ‘There are no second victims,’” he says.

Sullivan describes the importance of crew members checking their emotional state before rescue begins. From there, it’s determining what’s needed for a specific incident. If the crew attempts a rescue, they must ensure there are no other hazards on the way up to the injured worker.

“Once you get to the victim, your assessment phase is huge,” he explains, adding that this process begins with the acronym ABC to determine a climber’s condition.

A is for airways. Is the person breathing?

B stands for bleeding. Is the person bleeding?

C is circulation. Do they have a pulse?

“So, if all three of those checked out and we’re in a calm situation, it’s fine for us to secure the victim and then wait for [emergency medical services] to get there to instruct us on if they want us to bring him down or not,” he says.

Have a Plan

Another critical assessment is determining if any gear compromise happened during the incident. A successful rescue begins long before a rescue happens, according to Ed Carpenter, director of operations at North American Training Solutions (NATS).

“A lot of it comes down to planning,” Carpenter says.

Having critical information accessible, like the location of the nearest hospitals, fire departments, and the site’s address, makes the decision-making process easier during an emergency. He also recommends building an emergency action plan into daily meetings.

“If you have it written down and you have it in a recognized location, all I need to do is train the worker, go to that job briefing, get the information off of this section,” Carpenter says. “But if it’s not written down, you gotta remember who to call and remember who’s going to do what and remember all that. You cognitively can’t process all that information in an emergency situation.”

He says a critical question for tree care professionals to ask during a rescue is, “Are we capable of performing this, or do we need to bring in additional resources?”

Depending on the circumstances, local rescue professionals may not be equipped to handle a specific circumstance and will need more specialized support for situations, like a high-angle rescue or technical rescue. Carpenter notes that having a communication plan ready and knowing when additional support is required is essential.

“As a tree worker, because of the risk that’s involved in the environment, we’re very comfortable dealing with high risk, right?” Carpenter says. “However, if there’s a worker injured, a loss, whatever caused that injury, we may not have the competency or the capability to truly help them, and we may be exposing ourselves and exposing our crews to additional risks. And professional rescuers are trained on that, and they’re trained on how to manage those things.”

If an aerial rescue becomes necessary, communication can save a crew member’s life. According to Bear LeVangie, founder, director, and trainer of the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop, it is critical to have someone who can take charge of the situation.

“Chain of command is really important,” she says. “The person with more training should also usurp the situation.”

To help keep everyone calm, Sullivan says talking to the victim is crucial during a rescue.

“You want to be talking to that guy during that whole ascent, whether they’re reactive or not,” he says.

Having clear lines of communication with emergency professionals can make a significant difference during a rescue situation. Carpenter says one of the best things tree care companies can do is reach out to their local fire department and begin building rapport with them.

“You can’t put a value on that,” he says. “It is tremendous. And it just takes time. It just costs time.”

The Rescue Gear Bag

Carpenter says NATS focuses on training clients with the equipment they use every day when it comes to having the right gear for a rescue. He says the gear question centers around what jobs they’re doing.

“What is the work that’s being done on that site?” Carpenter asks. “If there’s work at height, what’s the access method?”

Having a three-to-one pulley ready can make it easier to move someone out of tight spots, like the crotch of a limb, according to Sullivan. This equipment also makes it much easier for a person on the ground to move someone who may be immobile.

The heightened stress levels in a rescue situation can make securing a throw line more difficult, which is why LeVangie advocates for having a secondary line. She says someone can typically reach a person at height in under two minutes if they can clip and start climbing right away.

“A wonderful thing for companies to start practicing and leading into motion every single time a climber gets into a tree is to put in another access line,” she says. “So, all that person has to do is walk up to the line, clip in, and start climbing.”

LeVangie also notes that tree care workers should be familiar with the equipment their crew members use, so everyone knows what is compatible during rescue operations.

She recommends using a webbed chest harness to assist a rescuer in gaining leverage when a climber is immobile. It makes moving a person much easier, especially if there’s a significant difference in body size.

“So having those little tools can accelerate a rescue to be from two minutes to five minutes difference,” she explains.

Training for Aerial Rescues

Carpenter says training frequency depends on how often a company has employees working at height. He recommends training at least annually but having discussions about rescue regularly.

Practicing removals is ideal before a busy season begins, he says, noting that if one person is aloft during a job, there needs to be at least one other crew member on the ground who has the skill to reach them in the event of a rescue.

“Our approach is, if you have one person aloft, you have another person on the site on that level,” Carpenter says.

Sullivan emphasizes hands-on training, which is why he recently helped organize an aerial rescue training event in Oklahoma City, Okla.

“Resources are out there,” Sullivan says. “You just have to go and get them.”

Many tree care companies see training as an activity with diminishing returns, according to Sullivan. It’s an expense and loss of time that could be spent on a job. However, he believes improving safety techniques and procedures will make a company more efficient in the field.

LeVangie says companies often grow quickly and stop investing in the time it takes to train, leading to a large skill gap.

“The big gaps come because companies grow so fast that they don’t take time to invest in the simple training of their team,” says LeVangie, adding that she advocates for regular training so that the techniques become routine. “If you practice a rescue monthly, it becomes a habit.”

There’s also value in bringing in third-party trainers, because they spot things and offer insight that tree care companies only training internally might not have considered.

“It opens your worldview to a lot of other things you might not have thought about,” she says.

OSHA’s New Regulations

There are no mandated safety protocols specific to the tree care industry, except those working around utility lines and logging. Z133, while voluntary, carries the force of law when OSHA cannot find language in its own standards.

According to Carpenter, there’s a void between utility work and logging, which most tree care companies or anyone who engages in some level of tree care, fall into.

OSHA is in the process of reviewing a new regulatory standard to address the tree care industry.

“This standard is because the tree care industry has been identified and is now on public record,” Carpenter says. “We have 30 times [more] than the national average fatality rate.”

According to OSHA’s initial analysis, some of the industry’s most common issues will be addressed with the new standard, including the lack of timely rescue, chainsaw incidents, and electrocution.

The process to kick off OSHA’s new standard began in 2006, indicating the extensive undertaking involved in implementing such measures. The preliminary analysis was published in March 2020, and the standard is expected to be published in late 2024 or early 2025 before undergoing a public review period, according to Carpenter.

Striving for Safety

It’s easy to get started in the tree care industry. All that’s really needed is a chainsaw and a pickup truck. This low barrier to entry makes it a desirable field for someone looking to start their own business or make money on the side. But the risk of injury, or worse, is ever-present.

While safety regulations and discussions have not always been at the forefront, the tide is turning. Owners like Ben Martin of R&B Trees are seeing more interest and investment in safety.

“Specialty training, like aerial, is coming along,” Martin says. “The community wants it. But it is lacking.”

Martin recently partnered with Sullivan to host an aerial rescue training event in Oklahoma City that attracted local climbers and several from out of state. He hopes to see it grow into a multi-day event with vendors and additional classes.

Most importantly, safety topics are discussed more often. When an incident happens, it becomes a learning opportunity instead of being swept under the rug and left unaddressed. For LeVangie, that makes all the difference.

“The most important thing is to be transparent and talk about it right away. And to keep an open dialogue about it,” she says. “Because what happens is it creates a place of safety, where people feel open and heard. So, they can continue to talk about it and learn from it and then grow as a company.”